Desserts

For the sweetest of days, it’s best to start thinking about desserts early on! Chocolate and strawberries are a perfect fit, and there’s no better way to say “I love you” than with this layer cake. It’s beautiful and sweet, just like that special someone in your life.

It’s also packed full of a whopping 4 cups of California Strawberries! Clinical research suggests that eating just one serving of eight strawberries is good for the whole body, promoting heart health, diabetes management, supporting brain health, and reducing the risk of some cancers. That’s pretty great for a dessert recipe, isn’t it? And since California Strawberries are available year-round, this cake is perfect not just for Valentine’s Day, but for any occasion that begs for a beautiful cake.

I’ve used an Italian meringue buttercream, which is slightly more advanced, but it also creates a much lighter frosting. It’s less dense. However, if you are new to baking layer cakes and the frosting looks overwhelming, feel free to use you favorite simple chocolate buttercream recipe. It will work perfectly well here!

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk to combine.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next one. Scrape down the bowl after the 2nd and final egg, all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Combine the half-and-half and vanilla. With the mixer on medium-low, swiftly alternate between adding the dry and liquid ingredients until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and then turn the mixer on again briefly to make sure there are no more dry patches.

Divide the batter between the two cake pans, leveling out the top. Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. Allow to cool completely.

While the cake is baking, prepare the macerated strawberries. In a medium bowl, stir together the sliced strawberries, sugar, and Grand Marnier, if using. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, stirring periodically.

Prepare the Buttercream:

Place the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed to begin forming a soft peak.

Meanwhile, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high, and cover until steam begins to form. Remove the cover and cook until the sugar syrup reaches the soft-boil stage, 235-240 degrees F.

Carefully pour the syrup down the side of the mixing bowl so that it slowly incorporates into the whipping egg whites. Then turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue mixing until the meringue reaches room temperature, approximately 15 minutes.

Once the meringue has cooled, turn the mixer to medium speed. Slowly add the butter, one piece at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically. Once the butter has incorporated, drizzle in the vanilla extract, followed by the melted chocolate.

To frost, spread a generous amount of chocolate buttercream on top of one cake layer, followed by approximately ⅓ of the macerated strawberries (allow them to briefly drain first to keep the cake from becoming saturated). Top with the second layer of cake and cover generously with frosting. Top the cake with the remaining strawberries. Drizzle slices with the macerated strawberry liquid.

Notes

Italian meringue buttercream creates a light and airy chocolate frosting. However, any chocolate buttercream with work with this cake.

When it’s time to break out your coziest pajamas, hang with your family and eat all the foods, it may seem like there’s no way to avoid a sugar overload. While it may feel like pies, cakes, and cookies are the focus (and major temptation), you can totally get your sugar fix by using this naturally sweet strawberry snack.

While I love them ‘just as they are,’ (hi, Bridget Jones fans!) they’re also a great addition or substitute to traditional ingredients in your favorite sweet and savory recipes. And, bonus, clinical research suggests that eating just one serving of eight strawberries is good for the whole body. They’re packed with potent nutrients that support brain health, diabetes management, and heart health, and reduce the risk of some cancers.

The brain health part is especially significant this November because it’s National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. A recent study in the Annals of Neurology suggests that eating strawberries more than twice a week appears to delay cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years. Strawberries also feature prominently in The MIND Diet, an eating plan that may reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at Rush University. The MIND diet is rich in berries, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, and limits red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food.

This is a dessert that you can feel good about eating and serving to your family this winter. It’s rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin C…and it looks pretty too. It combines some of my favorite foods: peanut butter and jelly and chocolate dipped strawberries. Instead of dipping strawberries in chocolate, you swirl them into a warm peanut butter fondue (see you later bread and jelly!).

While these peanut butter yogurt-dipped berries are a sweet treat, they steer clear of all the ‘unhealthy’ ingredients on the MIND Diet list and combine some of the ‘brain-healthy’ food groups: berries, nuts, and whole grains (if you choose to roll them in a low-sugar granola).

So many of our favorite fruits pop into season as quickly as they fade out (I’m thinking about you figs and persimmons!). When it comes to berries, we tend to think of summer as their only season to shine. While that may be true for the likes of blueberries and blackberries, it’s simply not the case for strawberries. In California, the strawberry growing season runs year round and the 400+ California farmers that grow strawberries provide the United States with 90% of the strawberries that we find poised and pretty on store shelves. Did you know this? All of the above is what makes strawberries my go-to berry throughout the year, whether fresh, baked, cooked, sautéed, stewed or roasted – or particularly perfect for a Strawberry Cardamom Torte.

I’ve become more and more comfortable over the years using strawberries in both sweet (naturally) and savory dishes; not just during the sultry summer but also when we’re bundled up in sweaters during the cooler months. They’re a gorgeous addition when simply fresh-cut and thrown into a salad….think of fun ingredients like goat cheese and pepitas to pair with them. Quickly roasted strawberries just as easily top crostini for a delicious starter or vanilla bean ice cream as a cozy dessert. Not only are strawberries beautiful to look at with their vibrant color, but they are also loaded with vitamins and have half (half!) the sugar of many fruits, including apples.

So it should come as no surprise that this fall I wanted to create a stunning dessert and I turned to strawberries to make that happen. I re-created one of my most favorite recipes, the amazing New York Times Plum Torte by Marian Burros. I had visions of a puffed up cake, dotted with bright, fresh strawberries and in a nod to the seasonal change, I wanted to pair it with the warm spice of cardamom. This torte is so easy to throw together and comes out looking stunning every time. I hope it will grace your table this fall or any season the mood strikes.

Next time you’re trying to create a dessert that dazzles, think about adding strawberries as the star of the show no matter what time of the year!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-inch springform (you can use a different 9-inch baking dish but the springform will deliver the prettiest torte).

In a medium bowl*, cream together the sugar + butter until light and fluffy. Add the 2 large eggs and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Then add directly on top of the butter mixture the flour, baking powder (I take extra effort to sprinkle the baking powder evenly about) and sea salt. Mix until just combined. This batter is crazy thick…you’ll think it’s wrong, but it’s not.

Spoon the torte batter into the buttered springform and using the back of the spoon to evenly smooth the batter out to the edges of the pan.

Place strawberries in a concentric pattern on the torte batter. Do not press them into the batter, just rest them on top. Place them close together…you’ll be surprised how they shrink and sink whilst baking.

Sprinkle the top of the torte evenly with the 1 tablespoon of sugar, lemon juice, cardamom and cinnamon.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45-50 minutes. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes and run a knife around the edges of the pan before trying to get it out.

You will die. It’s that good. The crust that the sugar and spices form on top of the torte…the sunken fruit…the fact that it’s easy…don’t even get me started on its one bowl nature… Heaven.

*This could also be done in an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

When people think of baking, certain produce automatically comes to mind: winter squash, apples, pears, etc. However, California strawberries are available year-round thanks to 400 family farmers who grow 90 percent of the nation’s strawberries. There’s no reason to exclude them from the holiday festivities! Have you considered swapping out some of the standard holiday cakes and pies with strawberries? You should.

It’s simple to swap strawberries into desserts where other fruits, like apples or pears, might typically be added. You can swap them evenly in your favorite recipes. Strawberries are juicier, so they might soften up some cake recipes a bit, but not enough that it would be necessary to alter the ingredient ratios. Apple bundt cakes often pop up at various holiday parties, which is why this strawberry bundt cake is a perfect example of #strawberryswaps.

This cake is not only full of sliced strawberries, it’s topped with juicy, macerated California strawberries as well. I’ve suggested using 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of sugar because strawberries will sometimes vary in sweetness level. The sweeter the strawberry, the less sugar you need. Grand Marnier adds a nice kick, but feel free to omit it if you don’t use alcohol in your recipes.

This bundt cake will be a hit at your holiday parties! Or any party throughout the year, thanks to the hardworking California strawberry farmers.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch bundt pan, place on a sheet pan, and set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the orange zest and press it into the dry ingredients using clean fingers. This will help break up any clumps. Whisk the ingredients again to evenly distribute the zest.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl after the second and final egg.

With the mixer on medium-low, alternate between adding the wet and dry ingredients, starting and ending with the wet ingredients. Scrape the bowl all the way to the bottom to ensure that everything is fully incorporated. Stir in the strawberries by hand.

Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan, using a spatula to even out the top. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

While the is baking, prepare the topping. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the strawberries, sugar and liqueur, if using. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Begin this school year with a fresh new lunch idea from CA Strawberry Ambassador, Dietitian and Lunchbox-Packing Mom, Holley Grainger: PB & Strawberry Sushi!
All you need is 5 minutes and 3 ingredients! Your kids will love this fun and tasty lunch!

Just use PB & fresh strawberries, or an alternative to nut butters!

It’s hard to believe we are already heading back to school! A new year calls for new backpacks, pencils, binders, and of course lunches. Whether you have been off of lunch duty for the summer, or you have been packing lunch for your kids’ summer camp, it’s always nice to have new lunch ideas. Sure a turkey and cheese sandwich is easy to make, but so are these PB & Strawberry Sushi Rolls. Ready in less than 5 minutes, everyone has time to throw these together. Best of all, I bet you already have most of the ingredients on hand.

All you need is a whole wheat flour tortilla, peanut butter, and strawberries. That’s it! Did you know that strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C? They even have more vitamin C per serving than an orange! This recipe calls for a cup of strawberries (this is about 8 strawberries). Clinical research suggests that eating a serving of eight strawberries is good for the whole body, promoting heart health, diabetes management, supporting brain health, and reducing the risk of some cancers.

Spread the peanut butter onto the tortilla. Add diced strawberries and roll the tortilla inward into a tight long roll. Make sure that you have peanut butter on the edge of the tortilla. This will help your roll stick together and will create a “seal”. Cut into 1 inch pieces with a sharp knife and serve with cut side facing up. You can add some flax or chia seeds to the roll for added nutrients. They can also be made with sunflower, almond, or cashew butter.

Serve with a crisp strawberry salad to add some crunch!

If you want to make this lunch really fun for the kids, send with chopsticks and a note that says, “You’re on a “roll” keep up the good work!” They will be so surprised and love the sweet note from you!

Whether we’re cooking farmers’ market veggies, meats, fruit, or even dessert, if it means I don’t have to turn on my oven to heat up the kitchen in Alabama heat, then we’re grilling out. This strawberry basil shortcake is the perfect thing.

Lately I’ve been experimenting with various fruits on the grill to enhance their sweet flavor. I love California Strawberries lightly grilled in a grill basket or on skewers then tossed with a good quality aged balsamic vinegar and served over vanilla bean ice cream – yum!

Another dessert recipe we’ve been enjoying from the grill are these shortcut Grilled Strawberry-Basil Shortcakes. My food philosophy is all about creating recipes that are simple, practical, and doable and this one fits the bill.

Last 4th of July during a family lake trip, my mother-in-law, Sallye, brought her homemade poundcake to contribute to our holiday feast. Since my Mom already had strawberries and ice cream, I cut some basil from the garden and experimented with how I could add a fresh flavor twist to her cake. I sliced the poundcake, gave it a thin coat of butter so it wouldn’t stick to the grill and cooked it on the grill until it was warm and golden brown. I then sliced the strawberries, mixed them with basil and once the cake was finished, topped it with the strawberry mixture and a scoop of ice cream. It was a hit!

A few modifications have been made over the last year to this grilled strawberry shortcake concept since we continue to make it over and over again. I substitute Sallye’s delicious pound cake for a store bought one when I don’t have hers, I add fresh mint, Grand Marnier or balsamic vinegar to sweet California strawberries for a nutritious and vibrant topping and I play around with creamy topping options with ingredients like sweetened whipped cream, sweetened mascarpone cheese or vanilla Greek yogurt.

See how easy it is to make Grilled Strawberry-Basil Shortcakes!

The great news is that however you choose to make this recipe your own, at the end of the day you’re still enhancing the nutrition in your dessert by adding fresh fruit like these juicy California strawberries.

Did you know that strawberries are naturally sweet but are also low in sugar at only 7 grams per cup?

So there is no need to add sugar to the sliced strawberry topping – they can hold their own! I also love that one serving of eight medium strawberries is only 45 calories so if you’re going to eat a rich, less nutrition food (like a slice of pound cake or a brownie), topping it with strawberries boosts the flavor and nutrition but for very few calories.

There are some desserts that just stand out from the rest when it comes to both visual appeal and taste, and this tres leches cake with strawberries is one of them. The best part is that it’s a very basic recipe, and one that you probably already have the ingredients for in your kitchen. Another great thing about this cake, is that the cake portion can be made the day before it’s served – and that’s always convenient, especially if the cake is for a party or special occasion.

Since the cake is covered in whipped cream and fresh strawberries, it only takes about thirty minutes the day-of to make the frosting, slice the strawberries, and decorate before serving.

In small bowl, lightly whisk eggs with ¼ cup of the milk and vanilla extract; set aside.

To the dry mixture, add the butter and beat on low for about a minute until combined. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup milk until incorporated into dry ingredients.

Increase speed to medium and blend for about 1½ minutes until you have a thick, smooth batter.

Add egg/milk mixture in three parts on medium speed, scraping down sides and bottom at least once. Beat for another 30 seconds until batter looks airy and smooth.

Pour batter into pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until light golden brown and toothpicks come out dry when inserted in the top center. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then on wire rack until room temperature.

Whatever the occasion, you can use this Strawberry Pie to celebrate! During peak strawberry season in California – when the endless, beautiful fields of strawberries are at their finest – it’s the perfect time to use California Strawberries in your favorite recipes. Whether they’re sweet, savory, light or decadent, strawberries will make it all the better.

There’s something about homemade pie that makes it a top level comfort food, you know? Some of my earliest memories involve baking with my mom. We both adore homemade pie. Come Mother’s Day, I think she’ll love this version. It’s a perfect dessert to share on such a special day, for any day during National Strawberry Month or any other special days in your life!

Some pie recipes involve a lot of prep work with the fruit, but strawberries are very easy because they simply need to be hulled and macerated. If you’ve never macerated berries before, this simply refers to letting them sit in sugar long enough for their natural juices to come to the surface. It’s incredibly easy. Since strawberries are naturally sweet, this pie doesn’t need much sugar. You can add more or less to taste.

Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter and pulse several more times until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal (a few larger bits here and there are fine).

With the machine running, add the cold water until the dough has just formed. It will still be crumbly but should form dough when pressed together.

Divide the dough into ⅔ and ⅓ portions, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least one hour or overnight.

For the Filling:

Rinse and hull the strawberries. Slice medium and smaller strawberries in half, while quartering larger berries, and place in a large bowl. Add the orange and lemon juice, zest, corn starch, and both sugars. Stir to combine, cover and place in the refrigerator. Allow the strawberries to macerate for 40-45 minutes, stirring periodically.

Prepare the Pie:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the bigger portion of pie dough to about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place in a 9½ inch pie pan. There should be an overhang of at least 1 inch. Add the strawberry filling.

Re-flouring the surface if necessary, roll out the second portion of dough to approximately 10 inches in diameter. Cut 8 even strips, and layer them in a decorative lattice pattern over the strawberries. Cut off any excess overhang from the lattice, and then fold up the bottom overhang so that it sits on top of the strips. Use a fork to crimp the edge of the dough all the way around the pan.

Brush the cream on top of the lattice and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, lower the temperature to 375 degrees F, and cook for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden.

Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Strawberries may vary in sweetness depending on factors such as season, location and freshness. More or less sugar can be added to the pie filling as needed.